HeartEdge in Amsterdam, Bradford & Kendal

This is a busy week for HeartEdge. Most of the team have been in Amsterdam where an excellent HeartEdge Introductory Day with the Protestant Church of the Netherlands was preceded by an evening event at which Sam Wells spoke on 'Improvisation'. I have been at the Greater Churches Network conference at which I spoke in Kendal Parish Church on 'Resourcing Innovative Mission', giving examples drawn from HeartEdge churches and speaking of the way missional networks provide resource while highlighting the extent to the HeartEdge model of mission comes with resourcing inbuilt. Today we are involved with and looking forward to a Bishop's Study Day in Bradford.

Future HeartEdge events include:

• 11 June 'Newcastle HeartEdge Day' with Sam Wells and guests. A unique programme of theological reflection and local contributors. HeartEdge days focus around our HeartEdge 4 Cs with an emphasis on practical insight and ideas to take away. Book in here.
• 27 June 'Derby HeartEdge Day' with Sam Wells and guests - working across Derby and the surrounding area? Urban, suburban or rural? We would love you to join this practical one-day intensive introduction to HeartEdge with Sam Wells and guests. We're ecumenical and open to all. The day will explore approaches to mission, do theology, develop ideas and help build on the community of practice in Derby. Book in here.
• 2 - 3 October, Edinburgh. The HeartEdge annual conference: 'On Earth as it is in Heaven' - a practical, two-day intensive of ideas, theology and connecting. Includes workshops on enterprise and commerce, launching cultural projects, developing congregations and sustaining community response. This year contributors include Sam Wells, Cormac Russell and Winnie Varghese. To book in early-bird visit here.

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Sofia Gubaidulina - Repentance.

Faith in the Public Space and the role of the Church

Making sense of the census was a useful workshop organised by the Greater London Presence and Engagement Network (PEN) on the new Census data and how it can help churches respond to their local context. We heard about the parish statistics that the Research & Statistics Department at Church House will be publishing based on Census 2011 and used a draft resource for stimulating discussion in parishes about the local implications arising from this data.

Following on from this workshop, The Very Revd Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, gave this year’s PEN lecture Guardian or Gatekeeper? Faith in the Public Space and the role of the Church at St George the Martyr Parish Church, SE1. In this lecture, David reflected on his recent sabbatical research on Christian-Muslim relations together with his experiences as Dean of Bradford. 

His thinking essentially mirrored that expressed by the Queen in her address to faith leaders at Lambeth Palace in 2012 where she suggested that the Church of England, while providing an identity and spiritual dimension for its own many adherents, also "has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country" and "has created an environment for other faith communities and indeed people of no faith to live freely." An example of this in practice is the Common Good Network funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation within their Bradford programme. 

For more on David Ison's lecture, click here.

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The Staple Singers - If You're Ready (Come Go With Me).

Inter-faith conference and lecture

Tomorrow sees a conference on inter-faith relationship which will explore how Christians can relate and work with people of other faiths. 

Those attending will hear the example of Faithful Friends, an inter-faith project which has been building friendships between people of different faiths in Forest Gate. Delegates will also hear from Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus who have worked with Christians in Forest Gate. Speakers include, Dr Philip Lewis, Specialist on Christian-Muslim Relations, who will share with us the example of Bradford and the national scene.

The conference is hosted by Faithful Friends and Bishop David, the Bishop of Barking. Venue: Emmanuel Church, Forest Gate. Date: Thursday 22^nd Sept, 2011. Time: 10.30a.m. – 3.30 p.m. To book (free) contact Revd Chigor Chike 0790 515 5494 or e mail chigor.chike@sky.com.

In a similar vein, The Revd Dr Toby Howarth, Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser for the Church of England, will give the 2011 PEN lecture entitled ‘What do we bring to the party? The Mission of the Church in a Multi Faith Neighbourhood’ at St Marylebone parish church NW1 5LT on Monday 31^st October 6.30 for 7.00pm. There will be a panel of respondents and time for questions as with last year's lecture.

Both are great opportunities to exchange ideas and to network with practitioners involved with inter-faith initiatives in London and across the country.

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Thea Gilmore - As I Went Out One Morning.